Mallet case and rack



Nov. 3, 1964 R. VlNAS MAL-LET CASE AND RACK Filed April 10, 1963 /4INVENT0R. /Z

ATTOE/VEY United States Patent 3,155,231 WALLET CASE AND RACK Robert Vinas, 2929 Arthur Ave, New York, NX. Filed Apr. 19, 1963, $er. No. 271,932 Claims. (Cl. 2%6-13) This invention relates to a combination mallet case and mallet rack for use by percussionists. The case is designed to hold mallets and accessories neatly and conveniently as the case is carried from place to place and also to serve as a rack which can be placed next to the percussionist as he performs such that the mallets and accessories are readily accessable during a performance, When the case is closed with the contents therein, the outward appearance may be of such a design that it resembles an attache case with the contents completely concealed within the case. The case may have several compartments for holding mallets of various sizes and also for holding various accessories such as triangles, drum sticks, tambourines, brushes and other items commonly used by percussionists.

When the percussionist arrives at the place of performance, certain accessories may be removed from the case and conveniently placed adjacent to the percussionist for future use. The mallets however are left in the case with the heads thereof exposed so that the percussionist can conveniently select the proper mallet and withdraw it quickly from the case as desired. When the selected mallet or mallets have served their purposes they are returned to the case and thus made available for future use. Upon completion of a performance the mallets and accessories are returned to the case such that it then becomes a means for storing and/ or transporting the contents thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combination carrying case and rack for transporting and making readily available during a performance various mallets and accessories normally used by percussionists.

Another object is to provide a combination carrying case and rack for use by percussionists in which the contents may be completely concealed from view when the case is closed such that the case has an outward appearance resembling an attache case.

Another object is to provide a carrying case for use by percussionists which also acts as a mallet rack for providing easy access to the mallets.

Another object is to provide a carrying case for mallets which has ample room for conveniently and neatly carrying various accessories such as drum sticks, triangles, brushes, tambourines, and other items commonly used by percussionists.

Another object is to provide a carrying case for use by percussionists which has a soft lining to protect the contents of the case.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mallet case and rack of the present invention shown in a closed position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, but showing the cover in an open position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the case and rack of FIG. 1 shown in one of its open positions.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3. But with the intermediate section of the case shown in a different pivoted position.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its Patented Nov. 3, 1964 application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, the case and rack of the present invention is shown as comprising several sections 10, 12, and 14 suitably hinged to one another to provide access to compartments defined by such sections. The sections 14), 12, and 14 may be pivoted to various positions relative to one another such as to a closed position shown in FIG. 1 wherein the sections are arranged closely adjacent to one another or to various intermediate positions such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The section 12 is shown as being pivotally mounted to the section 10 by means of hinges 16 (only one shown) while section 14 is pivotally mounted to section 12 by means of hinges 18 (only one shown). The hinges 16 and 18 are arranged such that each section 16', 12, and 14 may be pivoted independently of one another or individual sections may be pivoted relative to a pair of sections. FIG. 3 for example shows the section 14 pivoted to an upright position relative to the pair of sections 10 and 12.

Each section 16, 12, and 14 may be designed for various purposes depending on particular requirements. Section 14 for example may be used for holding mallets and may comprise a generally hollow frame having a slit or opening 20 (FIG. 3) along an upper edge such that the handle 22 of a mallet 24 may be passed through the opening 20. The opening 20 is large enough to receive the mallet handle 22 but small enough to prevent the head of the mallet 24 from passing therethrough. Consequently, the handle 22 of the mallet may be suitably housed in the hollow section 14 while the exposed head of the mallet rests on the end of the section 14 containing the opening 20.

Casing section 12 may also have a hollow portion having an opening 26 for receiving mallet handles. Section 12 is difierent from section 14 however, in that the former has side members such as at 28 which serve to define a portion of a compartment 30. Thus as can be seen in FIG. 3 the section 12 including the side members 28 will cooperate with the face member 32 of the section 14 to define the compartment 30 for holding various percussionists accessories such as the tambourine 34 and mallet 36. With the section 14 pivoted to an open position, such as shown in FIG. 3, such accessories are readily accessible. When the case is closed however, as shown in FIG. 1, the compartment 30 is completely closed since the face member 32 of section 14 will abut against the edges of the side members 28.

It will be noted that because of the compartment 30 provided on the side of intermediate casing section 12, the overall width of section 12 is greater than that of section 14. Consequently, the opening 26 in section 12 may be used for receiving larger mallets than that in section 14. It will also be noted in FIG. 2 that casing section 1th is provided with an upper member 38 which is generally at the same level as the upper edge of the section 12 when the case is closed toprovide space for the larger size mallet heads which may extend beyond the projection of the face member 46 of section 12.

Casing section It) may be divided into two compartments 4-2 and 44 by the member 38. The compartment 52 is provided with a cover 46 suitably pivotably supported by the hinge 48 which may be in the form of a piece of leather or other suitable flexible material. A suitable fastening device such as a snap 50 carried on a flexible strip 52 such as leather extends from the mem- 3 her 38 dividing the two compartments 42 and 44 to engage a mating snap 54 on the face of cover 46.

Pivotally supported from an end wall 56 of section it by the hinges 58 and 60 is a cover section 62 which is adapted to be pivoted to a closed position as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 and in broken lines in FIG. 2, so that it will extend over casing sections 12 and 14- to cover and conceal the exposed mallet heads carried in such sections. The compartment 44 of casing section is substantially the same length or height as the casing sections 12 and 14 while the compartment 42 extends therebeyond such that the pivotal mounting of the cover section 62 on the end wall 56 of compartment 42 will enable the cover section 62 to conceal the exposed mallet heads extending from sections 12 and 14 when the case is closed.

As can be seen in FIG. 4 and as previously suggested, the depth of compartment 42 is less than the depth of compartment 44 such that when the case is closed, mallets in section 12 which extend beyond the face member 46 thereof will be able to be contained in the space above the compartment 42 as viewed in FIG. 4 or the space to the right of compartment 42 as viewed in FIG. 2.

In order to secure the case in a closed position, various fastening means are provided between the sections. A pair of latches 65 (only one shown) serves to hold the sections 12 and 14 together while a pair of latches 66 (only one shown) serve to hold the sections 16 and 12 together. As previously set forth a snap type latch 50, 54 is provided to maintain the cover 46 for the compartment 42 in a closed position.

It can be seen, therefore, that with the latches 65, 66 and 50, 54 in a secured and closed position the case may be stood up on its end such as shown in FIG. 2 so that mallets such as 24 will extend in a generally vertical position with their heads enclosed only by the cover section 62. Thus with cover section 62 swung back to an open position as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 the mallets are readily accessible since they can be lifted individually from the case merely by grasping the head of a particular mallet. It can be seen, therefore, that the case may be used as a rack or stand which may be placed next to a percussionist during a performance. The percussionist need merely to select the particular mallet or mallets desired by glancing at the array of mallet heads in the case and Withdrawing the particular one desired. After the percussionist has finished using the selected mallet or mallets they may be readily replaced in the case and a further selection made as desired. For the sake of convenience, the mallets may be arranged in a preselected order, such as arranging them according to size in a progressively decreasing order.

When it is no longer desired to use the case as a rack, the cover section 62 may be swung to a closed position such as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 and broken lines in FIG. 2. A combination lock and latch such as the ones shown at 64 are provided to secure the cover section 52 in a closed position. In this regard it is to be noted that with all the casing sections latched as shown in FIG. 1 the casing presents a neat appearance which may resemble an attach case. A handle 68 pivotally connected to the cover section 62 serves as a convenient means for carrying the case. Suitable protection knobs such as at 69 may be provided at the base of the case. A suitable lining (not shown) such as velvet may be provided in the casing to protect the equipment carried therein. The casing may be made of any suitable material such as wood covered with leather or it may be made of a plastic. Smaller type items normally used by percnssionists such as castanets may be carried in the small compartment 42 where they will not become difiicult to locate amidst the larger items carried in the larger compartments. With the combination latch and lock such as at 64 access to all the compartments in the case may be prevented without the use of a key.

From the above description it can be seen, therefore, that I have provided a combination carrying case and rack for transporting and making readily available various mallcts and accessories normally used by percussionists. When the case is closed the contents are completely concealed from view and the case presents a neat appearance resembling an attache case. When the case is open, mallets may be selected from the case at a glance and they may be readily returned so that the case becomes a convenient rack.

The invention hereinabove described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination carrying case and rack for mallets and other percussion instruments, comprising a pair of generally hollow casing sections pivotally connected to one another, said pair of sections each supporting a plurality of mallets by means of openings which receive mallet handles while the mallet heads extend without said sections, a third casing section pivotally supported to one of said pair of sections, a cover section movably mounted on said third casing section, said pair of hollow casing sections and said third casing section being pivotal to a closed position wherein they are arranged adjacent to one another, said cover section having a closed position such that it extends over the said pair of casing sections to house and conceal the mallet heads extending without said pair of casing sections and an open position which exposes said mallet heads so that they may be selectively withdrawn thereby serving as a carrying case when said cover section is in said closed position and as a dispensing rack when said cover section is in said open position.

2. A combination carrying case and rack as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cover section is pivotally mounted on said third casing section.

3. A combination carrying case and rack as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of fastening means for holding said pair of casing sections and said third casing section in said closed position where they are arranged adjacent to one another.

4. A combination carrying case and rack as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a locking means on said cover and on one of said pair of casing sections for locking said cover, said pair, and said third casing section in their closed position adjacent to one another.

5. A combination carrying case and rack as set forth in ciaim 1 further comprising a handle on said cover section for carrying said case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 738,098 Chichester Sept. 1, 1903 1,456,242 Leedy May 22, 1923 2,640,622 Sabatino June 2, 1953 2,718,447 Wright Sept. 20, 1955 V I FOREIGN PATENTS 19,133 Great Britain 1908 1,259,423 France Mar. 20, 1961 

1. A COMBINATION CARRYING CASE AND RACK FOR MALLETS AND OTHER PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS, COMPRISING A PAIR OF GENERALLY HOLLOW CASING SECTIONS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID PAIR OF SECTIONS EACH SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF MALLETS BY MEANS OF OPENINGS WHICH RECEIVE MALLET HANDLES WHILE THE MALLET HEADS EXTEND WITHOUT SAID SECTIONS, A THIRD CASING SECTION PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED TO ONE OF SAID PAIR OF SECTIONS, A COVER SECTION MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID THIRD CASING SECTION, SAID PAIR OF HOLLOW CASING SECTIONS AND SAID THIRD CASING SECTION BEING PIVOTAL TO A CLOSED POSITION WHEREIN THEY ARE ARRANGED ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID COVER SECTION HAVING A CLOSED POSITION SUCH THAT IT EXTENDS OVER THE SAID PAIR OF CASING SECTIONS TO HOUSE AND CONCEAL THE MALLET HEADS EXTENDING WITHOUT SAID PAIR OF CASING SECTIONS AND AN OPEN POSITION WHICH EXPOSES SAID MALLET HEADS SO THAT THEY MAY BE SELECTIVELY WITHDRAWN THEREBY SERVING AS A CARRYING CASE WHEN SAID COVER SECTION IS IN SAID CLOSED POSITION AND AS A DISPENSING RACK WHEN SAID COVER SECTION IS IN SAID OPEN POSITION. 